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ATTENTION: Windows 10 users

Beta 2 build is now available!

If you just upgraded to Windows 10 or running build 10240 or greater of Win 10 pre-release you will need to download and install the new version of ZoneAlarm 14.0.157.000

Internet data usage by vsmon Is over 6Gb in 5 days.

Due to ISP charges for breaching the monthly data limit, I started to investigate what applications are using this data. Installed Networkx data usage monitor on the 3 systems and it shows that vsmon uses as a percentage of all internet traffic: 90% on my system, 50% on my sons laptop (he streams videos) and 80% on my partners laptop.
All systems were set to hourly antivirus updates. Looking at my system in detail it would appear that zonealarm replaces the entire virus database on each update regardless of version number or does not check first to see if an update is required . The logs show the same version number repeatedly as updated successfully.
This is an excessive amount of data 6Gb in 5 days on one laptop.
I have had to disable auto update on each machine and will only switch it on once a week.
Can you explain why this is necessary?

Re: Internet data usage by vsmon Is over 6Gb in 5 days.

This Zone Alarm Forum exist to allow Volunteer experienced Zone Alarm Users to help the Few Users who encounter a problem with Zone Alarm and need to be guided in the right direction to answer Questions about Zone Alarm..

It is Sometimes very Difficult toDiagnose and fix a Computerfrom halfway across the Country, or around the World,without All the Details about your computer it's Software and what type and Version of Zone Alarm that you failed to provide, without our ability to sit in front of your Computer monitor and see what's going on..

*** NOTICE:

Please Give the Exact Type and version of Zone Alarm used, Windows Version & SP Update used, Browser type and version, any other security tools installed and type of router or Internet connection used. How do you connect to the Internet: Phone Line, Cable Modem, Router, Wifi, Blue Tooth?

The More information you post the more likely users here will be able to understand the issue and try to help

Re: Internet data usage by vsmon Is over 6Gb in 5 days.

Finding useful help and information on a Public Forum, is like Driving on the Highway.. If you do not pay attention to Posted Notices and Road signs, you will not get to where you want to go..

1.) A Public Notice to the Link to the Current ZA Version 12.0.104.000 is posted at the TOP of Every Page on this Forum..

2.) the Check for Product Update option in your Software shows Up to Date, Because tat feature has been turned off for older versions until marketing turns it back on..

3.) DID YOU CLICK on the Link I provided to you AND READ THAT LINK?

4.) It is Sometimes very Difficult toDiagnose and fix a Computerfrom halfway across the Country, or around the World,without All the Details about your computer it's Software that you failed to provide (WHEN REUESTED) , without our ability to sit in front of your Computer monitor and see what's going on..

4.) Please Re-Read ALL of my Previous Request...

The More information you post the more likely users here will be able to understand the issue and try to help

Re: Internet data usage by vsmon Is over 6Gb in 5 days.

Any application on your PC that connects and receives or sends data to the internet Will pass through the firewall. Thus you will see the data being passed through ZA for inspection.

What you need to worry about is what apps are requesting the data.

Lets just say as an example, Internet Explorer used 5GB of data for the month. Of course you will see that 5GB represented in ZA (vsmon) Because the data has to pass through the firewall to be inspected.

So only measure your apps and not ZA. The data traffic in ZA is just a mirror image of all the apps on your PC that access the internet, including the OS too.

Yes ZA on its own will download AV updates and that traffic is generated by ZA and no other app. Av updates are incremental. We never download the entire AV def file every time. You must be misinterpreting the data you have. Its never worked like you are suggesting and we never seen it do that ever.

Re: Internet data usage by vsmon Is over 6Gb in 5 days.

Thank you for your input.
Yes I have read the link.
No I have not gone to the latest release yet except on one laptop.
Ok. How does one explain this clearly.
1. The local measured usage totaled = the ISP's recorded usage with a 10% variation due to ISP counting handshaking with the antenna and some unmeasured phone activity using the wi-fi.
2. The total application data usage when added together = the local machine data usage which is roughly the same as the ISP measured amount. eg.

Re: Internet data usage by vsmon Is over 6Gb in 5 days.

Assuming the meausure is correct and there are not other system components (not listed) connecting to internet then your ZA does not work correctly and for whatever reasons fails to save to the HD the virus definitions this may lead ZA to try to download definition again and again.

This may be due to incorrect OS setup, broken permission in registry or several other causes.

So, next important question is: did you fully remove ZA 11, run the clean.exe (ZA removal tool) and installed the latest version? If not please do so and check.

The first update of the AV will download all definitions (100-150MB) of data and the next updates are normally around 100k-150k per update.

Re: Internet data usage by vsmon Is over 6Gb in 5 days.

I agree with Guru Fax and the Forum Moderator ;

Try this safe clean up procedure..

Follow these instructions Below to clean your computer of the old version and any conflicting 3rd party Security programs, then install a clean new copy of the current supported version of ZA 12.0.104.000

Re: Internet data usage by vsmon Is over 6Gb in 5 days.

As already explained the high usage is not normal and means (always assuming everything else is not broken) that ZA is not working correctly. As I understand the fresh intall seems to have resolved the issue. Something must have happen to both systems to cause ZA to not been able to save the AV definitions correctly.

This can be originating from several sources including a program update in those PCs that broken the OS registry or new software installed that changed system properties. You can only know for sure with a analysis back in time when this first appeared.

If it was a general issue with ZA v11 you would see this forum with clear traces of the problem, this is not the case.